Contents

Current Situation - The First Hour

"The party is in the main pyramid of Grim's Stronghold. Around you are the remains of an epic battle. The fallen remains of Grim, Shallowgrave, and the other liche priests are scattered around the room. A quick search of the room and healing of wounds is accomplished."

"The grounds starts to shake in a low rumble. A very strong aura of magic sweeps through the room. Several large blocks of stone, gilded with a plating of gold fall from the ceiling."

A hearing check will detect the sounds of a large number of Fell Bats leaving the pyramid through a newly opened crack in the ceiling.

Outside, the remaining monsters from the castle are flocking to Hastur's Rock, which is beginning to glow magically as the Stone God comes to life.

These small bats are very fast and very hard to hit when in the air. If they injure an opponent, then they gain as many hit points of life as they did in damage to their victim. Once each day, they can emit a sonic blast which causes their victims to need to make a saving throw vs. constitution or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. They will encircle their victims doing an en masse attack.

These are standard bone giants. They are very resistant to weapon damage. They can be turned.

HD: 40
AC: -6
Attacks: 2
Damage: 10d8 + 40
Absorption: 60%

Zombie Dragon (1)

This is the last of the zombie dragons in the north. It is a typical dragon with a breath weapon that requires a save versus constitution or the victim is stricken with a very fast rotting disease (keep applying the same damage each round with skin lesions, bubbling pox, rotting smell, limbs starting to drop off, etc.). Zombie dragons do not use magic. It can be turned.

HD: 40
AC: -6
Absorption: 60%
(see ancient dragon for description)

Blazing Effigies (12)

These are what look like black giants made of a fluid material surrounded by leaping flames of furious intensity. These are creatures of fire that have been created to burn down the forests of the Reaches. They are basically raging infernos. When they are killed, they explode coating everything around them in a burning pitch. They are extremely fast.

At first, these creatures look like the ripples in the earth that happen during a quake. Moving along very quickly towards their victim. As they raise up, these creatures appear to be giant folds of black earth and stone without heads or mouths. They move through the ground, welling up and attacking with a smothering blow. Careful examination shows that they are filled with small grubs which burrow into their victims if hit. These will cause paralysis or disease.

HD: 30
AC: 10
Attacks: 1 (smash) + 10d6 grubs (each burrowing on a 20)
Damage: 20d20 + 1 for each burrow + 1 save each round for each burrow (constitution)
Resistance: Immune to all weapons except the Sword of the Elder Gods and Knife of Hastur. Spells will (at best) cause them to shrink back down into the earth for a few rounds.

Priests of the Rolling Stone (6)

Standard clerics of 30th level. These are priests of a radical sect that worship Hastur (having formed upon his return to the Realm). They are here to pray for Hastur's return. They will cast standard spells to try and disrupt the proceedings. At first, they will claim to be Priests of St. Aidan here to help heal the party from their battle wounds. Play this one fun. Their leader is Maloric.

Hastur's Rock

"A large volcanic rock roughly 40 feet in diameter sits beside Grim's Pyramid. It appears to be the tip of a shaft of stone that protrudes from deep in the earth. The rock glows slightly and radiates a strong aura of magic."

This is actually the home of Hastur, the Stone God, who is resting until called into service by one of his sons.

"Touching the rock, an adventurer will immediately notice that it is much warmer than the surrounding air. The following verse suddenly comes to mind."

More beautiful than the face of your God,
Yet more wicked than a demon's forked tongue,
Dead men eat it all the time,
Live men who eat it die slow.

Speaking the word, NOTHING, will cause Hastur to be awoken and come forth from his hold.

When the fourth seal was broken, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature cry out, "Come forward!" Now I saw a horse sickly green in color. Its rider was named Death, and the nether world was in his train. These four were given authority over one quarter of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and plague and the wild beasts of the earth.

If the Ceremony of Long Slumber is invoked and uninterrupted, Hastur will sink into the ground and the Sword of the Elder Gods will crumble.

If not, the party will have to fight Hastur.

One is sick, one cold
One is thin, one bold
All around the world we ride
From our vengeance none can hide.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The City Secured

"The unnatural darkness has lifted. The small rocky island that once housed the great Teufeldorf Castle, the proud seat of power of the Paladin King Gregory has been radically transformed. The center of the island is dominated by a massive golden pyramid, several hundred feet tall. Gone are the towers, spires, and graceful arches that once dominated the skyline of the greatest city in the Reaches. From the central large pyramid, arms of golden stone snake out, covering what was once the outlying buildings of the castle. These buildings are now covered in gold, looking more like the bulges of rats caught in stomach of a snake. Where the island is not covered in gold, it has been charred black. No plants or vegetation can be seen anywhere."

There is close to 500,000 gold pieces worth of gilding (shielding) on the pyramid. This is the treasure!

"A group of Dwarven warriors can be seen crossing the Gallows. They all carry shields emblazoned with crossed axes, a symbol of the Axeworthy clan."

The city has been secured.

The skeleton army of Grim is fleeing south. Current reports are that they are not stopping to bother the villagers. They are led by the liche priest Nightshade.

The Army of the Reaches has pitched camp just south of Teufeldorf.

The leaders of the Elven Host has come ashore and joined General Axeworthy in the command tent.

Moon Dagger of Disruption is completed by Hauberger.

The Elves of the Radiant Dawn

"On the distant horizon, six warships move at full sail towards the coast. They are unlike the large three and four-mast galleons of Sandal. They are certainly not the fast clipper ships and frigates of the Reaches. These ships are sleek, multi-sailed warships, built for speed. No flag flies from the masthead."

"The six warships quickly move towards the shore. Close up, it is possible to see the blue main sails blending into the sky. Their low profile makes the vessels seem like they could not weather the storm. Despite their size, these ships seem to skip along the water, barely touching its surface."

"The first of the longboats arrive on the shore. Their passengers are elven, although it is doubtful that any living human in the Reaches has ever seen this many elves in one place. The elves are dressed in the raiments of war. The sun glistens off their blue and gold armor and shields. From the movement, it is easy to imagine that a thousand elves may find their way ashore from this convoy."

"Stepping out of the boat is an elf of great age, although his eyes and stride belie his years. He has the confident air of command, although he wears no insignia or armor. I am Faldirion, leader of the Host of the Radiant Dawn. Who is the leader of this land?"

TO FALSTAFF: "In a thousand years, the joys of this moment could not be predicted. By Eldevira's glory, my grandson, come to me. Tonight, we will tell the tales of many years lost. Tomorrow, I will speak of my mission here. Of the colonists who follow and of the threat from beyond that knocks at the very door of our existence."

On the Rule of the Land

You are called into the command tent of Dugald Axeworthy. He speaks gruffly. "The city is ours for today, but tomorrow or the next day or the day after that, the thieves and cutthroats of Teufeldorf will come out of their burrows and start claiming the city for their own. We need to give them a new king, and we need to do it quickly. Decisive leadership is what these people need. Compassion and hope will carry the new king far. Who will it be?"

Faldirion - the elves are planning to settle several of the great forests of the Reaches, making outposts against the aggressions from the north and south. I will be returning to the East in time, and cannot be leader.
Lorindel (Lady Laura) - will be the ruler of the elves in the Reaches, as my grandson Falstaff will continue his leadership of the Druids.
William of Markinghamshire - returning to the high meadows to tend to his horses.
Dugald Axeworthy - I'm a general not a king, dammit.

Parting Gifts

In the early days of the Druids before the Order of Rangers was founded, the priests of nature found that on occasion they needed a show of steel to settle dispute with humans, dwarves and orcs who could not understand the sanctity of the woods by use of mere woods. Their numbers were small, so the Druids could not field armies to persuade these people. Instead, it was decided that a single set of magical items, called in time the Voice, would be created and given to the strongest fighter in their order, creating the first Paladin of the Balance. In this way, the Druids were able to use steel to further their plans. The Paladin of the Balance eventually became the archetype for the first Rangers, and with the establishment of that organization a decision was made that no one individual should have the power of the Voice, so the items were dispersed and hidden, eventually being lost and forgotten.

The raiment of the Voice included eight items, although the descriptions and powers of each will require much research in the Elven histories and volumes of legend and lore of Sarth. We know that the weapons of this set were forged by the Calinshold dwarves. These were imbued with magical powers not only by the powerful Druids of the time, but some were also enchanted by the battle mages and wizards that understood that balance in the Realm was crucial. In many ways, we enter again into those tumultuous times, Falstaff. I come today with an Elven vanguard to establish two great Elven strongholds in the forests that you call Loftwood and the Endless Forest. We are but few against many, and our enemies will not take kindly to our arrival.

Our queen has sent me to act in whatever capacity I might in order to establish these realms and protect the balance of nature. And she has sent with me, Falstaff, this one of the few known Items of the Voice to help you in your quest as the Paladin of the Balance. I present you with Thunder, the Scabbard which once held the mighty blade of Lightning. Draw forth your sword from the scabbard and meet the challenge.

As you draw your sword from the scabbard speaking the elven word for "thunder", your sword dances with flames as Falstaff begins to move quickly, his form blurring into several images. As you speak, your voice is projected so that men a hundred yards away can hear you clearly.